Monday, 18 November 2013

UK’s renewable electricity capacity up 38 per cent in a year http://www.energy-broker.co.uk/uks-renewable-electricity-capacity-up-38-per-cent-in-a-year/

Renewable electricity capacity has risen by 38 per cent in the past year, while renewables’ share of electricity was at an all time high of 15.5 per cent in 2Q13, according the figures released today (31 October) by DECC.

DECC’s Energy Trends and Prices Statistical Release also reveals that renewable electricity generation was 12.8TWh in 2Q13, an increase of 56 per cent on the same period in 2Q12. The use of bioenergy has also seen a significant increase, with a 58 per cent rise in generation in 2Q13 compared with the same period in 2012.

Other forms of renewable energy have also fared well in the past year, with a 29 per cent increase in hydroelectric generation. Electricity generated from onshore wind rose by 70 per cent, a figure attributed not only to increased capacity, but also to high wind speeds. At the end of 2Q13, onshore wind had the largest share of renewable capacity (36 per cent), followed by bioenergy (25 per cent) and offshore wind (18 per cent).

The increase in use of renewables coincides with a fall in oil production (down by 18.6 per cent) and gas production (down by nine per cent). The low carbon share of electricity generation by Major Power Producers rose by three percentage points in between 2Q12 and 2Q13 to 34 per cent.